Soza says he isn’t underestimating Georgia State

UTSA quarterback Eric Soza knows better than to underestimate the Georgia State Panthers.

“Don’t let their record fool you,” Soza said Monday. “That’s the worst thing you can do is underestimate a team. That’s when you waken a sleeping giant. We don’t want to do that.”

A program in transition, Georgia State is playing with about 68 scholarships this season, roughly equivalent to what UTSA is offering.

Though they’re playing an FCS Colonial Athletic Association schedule, the Panthers will switch and upgrade a level next year to the FBS Sun Belt Conference.

Last year, they took a 14-0 lead on UTSA and ended up losing 17-14 in overtime at the Alamodome.

While the Roadrunners have started this season with two victories, Georgia State has opened with losses at home to FCS South Carolina State and on the road to Southeastern Conference power Tennessee.

Soza said he respects the Georgia State defense, which he said is big up front with a secondary that “runs a little different coverage than what we’re used to” seeing.

Normally, UTSA wears white jerseys on the road. But this week it will wear the blue tops as Georgia State will play a “Night White” game.

The Panthers are scheduled to wear the white jerseys with the fans asked to wear white to the game.

” We want to prepare as if this is our national championship,” Soza said. “I mean, I’m sure for them, the game is going to be very big. It’s the white-out game. The main game of the year.

“We’re going to go in and try to play our game and not be influenced by the enemy.”

In the season opener, UTSA went on the road, blocked out the distractions and defeated South Alabama 33-31.

Soza said he expects a loud crowd at the Georgia Dome, which also serves as the home of the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons.

“I hope it is a hostile enviornment,” Soza said. “That’s what college football is all about. I mean, South Alabama, that was a great student section behind us. That’s what makes college football fun. It makes it a lot more fun when we come out with a victory.”